Selling within your business can be challenging for many, even if you have built your business from personal skills and passion, you could struggle to persuade others to give you a payment for your product or services. So before taking the plunge and starting a business you should consider a few things: 

  •  How much runway do you have to get your business off the ground?
  •  How much of a “sales runway” do you have, and how fast do you need to go before you can actually take off? 

If you’re thinking about starting a business then making mistakes early is the best way to get up to speed. Learning the hard way is most often the best way for a business owner to grow in success. The key is to do, make mistakes and redo! This will mean you will learn how NOT to sell your product or service and the best way to do it, quickly. This is making the most of your business runway. Here are some of the tips we have to manage your sales runway: 

  • Ask yourself: What is it that you’re actually selling? Are you 100% positive about what it is the customer is getting when they do business with you? Do you know what’s in it for them and why they would do business with you? 
  • Things may not always run smoothly and that’s okay: Begin where you are with what you have, and start making your way to the end of the runway. Focus on selling what you have today to those that will buy it, and then you’ll build up some much-needed speed.
  • At all times, know where you are and how fast you are going: Refining what works for you and your business is what’s needed here. 

When you start to sell it’s important to remember that cold calls will never be easy and not all sales will go perfectly. Your product or service will not be perfect for all consumers but the more you learn, fail and succeed the more you will understand the best way of selling your product or services. 

If you need support building your sales skills, speak to ActionCoach today, and follow us on LinkedIn to stay up to date.